Excellent food and good service. The serving sizes are large and we always have plenty to take home. Prices are reasonable and the ambiance is warm and welcoming. read more

It's a staple, you need to go. Everyone needs to go. The hummus is iso creamy and smooth it's unlike anything I've ever tasted. The pita is soft, warm, pillowy and made from scratch there. I think literally everyone needs to go! read more

This was my 2nd visit to Al-Bawadi. Do NOT order the mint lemonade! I had asked for iced mint tea (basically their hot version on ice) pretty simple, right? Who wants hot tea in 85 degree weather? Well, the waitress acted like she didn't know what I was talking about. She said they couldn't do it (strange bc I had it on my first visit). She suggested a can of brisk or a mint lemonade. We went along with her suggestion and ordered 2 mint lemonades. The mint lemonade was DISGUSTING and tasted moldy. After two sips - my colleague and I couldn't finish it. I let waitress know that it was bad and she brought out the can of brisk. Checks arrived and she did not remove the $3.99 charge from both of our receipts for the mint lemonade. I did not feel like arguing but I was so turned off by the bad customer service that I won't return. The food was just so so and the drinks are disgusting!! Wayyy too many other Mediterranean restaurants in area to choose from... I won't be back here. read more

The food here is vast and worth it. You're welcomed by some Pickles, Pita Chips, and Cold Mezze(s) for the table which is an ideal starter tool to get you going. We went as a large group of work friends for a weekday lunch and to order we had pillow-y, warm pita to go with the fresh Hummus, Baba Ganoush and Garlic dips. The rest we ordered were the Mixed Grill and the Seafood Grill. The first of the two grills came with a mountain of orange and yellow Rice and with a wide array of meats lying atop: lamb chops, lamb kebabs, chicken chunks, beef, and roasted veggies. The Seafood Grill was also beautifully prepared with: broiled Tilapia, Shrimp and Salmon Chunks. The cook on all my protein was perfect and the portions were ample. To accompany our meal, we had their Hot Tea which was great and a shot of their Kawa Tea/Coffee. To top it all, we got the Kunafe which was portioned out and served to our large group. The Kunafe was absolutely amazing with a crisp top, elevated by the pistachio crunch and a soft, warm, chewy cheese bottom. The service was consistently fabulous making the experience even better than described above. read more

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Every single time I come here, it is always excellent food, service and atmosphere. Food is absolutely amazing, both portion size and quality taste. I was here today with my family and they truly enjoyed as well. Even though we were kind of loud and asked for a lot of items, they never once made us feel out of place. Yousaf was an attentive server and prompt, always checking on us. I tell everyone to visit this restaurant whenever they visit Chicago. My favorites are the mixed fruit dessert, chicken shawarma platter, grape leaves, hummus and knafeh. You can eat here and have leftovers for days and the price is reasonable for the amount. read more

Al Bawadi Grill - Knafeh - Mediterranean Near Me - Bridgeview, Illinois

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This is the best middle eastern food in Chicago hands down! I've been here numerous times and I love there consistency. Went with a friend on Christmas Eve (restaurant was packed) and waited 15 mins for our table. We ordered the following: Appetizers - Al Bawadi Appetizer Sampler Platter and Chicken Toshka. Both are AMAZING! The toshka is a crunchy toasted chicken shawarma essentially with Syrian cheese. Entrees - Mixed Chicken and Meat Shawerma platter and the Chicken Tikka platter. Both were amazing with a good size portion. Both entrees are a staple that we usually tend to order. We love getting the cava (coffee) while we wait to be seated. Overall, it's a great place in Chicago to get yummy middle eastern food. You won't be disappointed. read more

Al Bawadi Grill - Mixed Chicken & Meat Shawerma Chicken Tikka (Boneless) - Mediterranean Near Me - Bridgeview, Illinois

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Loved the service, loved the food, loved the portion sizes, loved the atmosphere! The Mixed Grill was so tasty. They offered a variety of dipping sauces to accompany the entrees. The sauces were so flavorful. My family utterly enjoyed our family night out. Will definitely be dining here again. read more

Al Bawadi Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Bridgeview, Illinois

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First time coming here, as soon as we sat down they brought a complimentary snack appetizers and warm bread. We ordered a baba ghanoush, fatoush salad, shawarma wrap and sheesh kebab plate. The service was so nice and quick, we didn't have to wait too long for our food and it was warm and tasty. One downside was that when we sat down, one of our plate was dirty and was chipped :( read more

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Best Palestinian food I ever had. Great coffee, friendly kind staff and a big menu to choose from read more

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Top notch Arab food! Best in the southwest Suburbs. Consistently good -- lively vibes.

This place is an institution in the Middle Eastern community. It's authentic and extremely tasty. I had friends who moved out to this neighborhood just so they could be closer to this restaurant. I also had a Middle Eastern friend that was brought here from the airport when she moved here . It's a great place. And they were very gracious when we ordered takeout during Ramadan. Especially because we got the time wrong, and it was right during the breaking of the fast, which is a very busy time for them. read more

Killer falafel sandwiches, haven't really enjoyed anything else from here but the place looks like it has slow down dramatically. I hope you guys don't shut down. There's an expressway right by us there's no reason why you guys should not be thriving. You need to do something to track people to come in. read more

Terrible just terrible. Everyone working without mask. The guy at the front door coughing openly without covering his mouth had to tell him dude put your damn mask on wtf. And he was handing out coffee to customers. also the food was terrible. I will never support this place again. Never read more

So I've wondered about this restaurant for a while. Finally decided to give it a try and ordered the grilled salmon dinner to go. They did not disappoint. Absolutely delicious! My only complaint is the salmon was dry due to the type of container used for to-go orders. The steam dried out the meat. HOWEVER, my meal was delicious. I love rice and they give you 2 kinds with your order with grilled veggies. Service was pleasant and fast for to go orders. I will definitely go back and dine in. Be prepared for a very busy atmosphere. read more

Food is downright fantastic. So many choices, none of them bad. We had a great time with good food and service.

The best food. Large portions and the food is equally delicious. Definitely worth going. I will be coming back and I will highly recommend this place to anyone. read more

fun middle eastern restaurant with great food. the staff were dressed in traditional garments and the restaurant was decorated to accentuate the experience. all the food was delicious. read more

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My husband and I hadn't been here in a few years. We decided to stop by for a pick-up order over the weekend. The food was delicious! We had been going to another Middle Eastern restaurant, and the food had become so,so. The kufta kabob at Al Bawadi Grill was juicy, and the chicken tawook was not dry. My husband and I LOVED the pita. It tastes like a mix of naan and pita bread. It is so much better than any pita I have ever tasted. The hummus and muthawama were also excellent. The hummus was flavorful with a garnish of whole chickpeas, and I believe peppers on top with drizzle of olive oil. The muthawama was delicious with the right amount of garlic. We also decided to try something new for our palates. The meat toshka was our choice, and it was excellent as well. More options will be selected next time because we saw people leaving with what resembled a pizza box. We didn't see pizza on the menu, but we will inquire. read more

This restaurant is awesome please open one in Phoenix if you ever thinking of expanding. Great food and service next time I'm in town it will be on my list of places to visit. read more

Even though not all their offerings deserve a 5 star rating but the entire experience is more than 5 stars! It is obvious from the moment you come in that the people working there really care about the business, they welcome you and serve you with a smile, and each one knows his job very well. It is a well oiled machine. The decor is very nice and makes you feel right at home. When it comes to their food offerings, my advice after we tried most of their items on the menu, skip everything and go straight to the grill (mashewe), especially chicken. Note: try their authentic middle eastern coffee, a gentlemen always running between tables giving out free coffee. You can see them preparing the knefeh on a special stove, it is not the best but the show and the way they bring it to the table, piping hot, makes all the difference. Again it is not the best. All in all you will not be disappointed at Bawadi. Excellent operation. Thumbs up! read more

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Very authentic Middle Eastern food experience! This is not your regular restaurant, the staff go above and beyond to make you feel like you're actually in the Middle East. The free Turkish coffee is a nice touch, although it is a tad bitter. We ordered the mixed grill with kufta kabob, beef and lamb kabob as well as the beef and chicken shawarma platter. The meal starts off with some condiments and steaming hot outside bread which is made fresh in front of you. I highly recommend getting the hummus as well but ask them to reduce the olive oil because that adds an edge of bitterness to the hummus. The food was extremely delicious and completely cooked. The best part is, while the restaurant seems a bit pricey, you get two meals. The quantity is large so I recommend doing family style or be ready to take some home. Parking is free and the restaurant is quite large so getting a table was not an issue. read more

Al Bawadi Grill - Mixed grill platter and chicken/beed shawarma platter with hummus on the side - Mediterranean Near Me - Bridgeview, Illinois

We used to love this place. Specially the $100 dish. However, for some reason, now they offer the same dish for the same price but less meat. So, for example, if you are party of 4, then they adjust the amount of meat accordingly but charge you the same. My wife also gave them one star on Yelp. A teenager claiming to be the owner's son messaged my wife and cursed her! Not a good way to conduct a business. We will never go back. read more

Al Bawadi Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Bridgeview, Illinois

I have been going to this restaurant for over 10 years and would think nothing of leaving a raving review. It's the go-to restaurant anytime my family and I want comfort food that is reminiscent of my grandmother's. Unfortunately I can honestly say that today I left completely disappointed. The food lacked flavor and the dedication to the quality execution we have come to expect. We ordered kibbe and 20 minutes later we got three ridiculously small (1/3 the size of the normal kibbe), completely tasteless representations of what kibbe is supposed to be. Just a thought, if you're out of the product, just say so. It was obvious someone tried to fill the order and had no idea what they were doing. During my previous visit our sample plate was different in that they substituted tabouli in place of grape leaves. We assumed this was a new change. Today I asked if this was a consistent substitution and was told yes and given the salad replacement although it was a little more than 2 tablespoons and ended up costing me an additional 2 dollars. I guess this is not a consistent replacement and for the additional money I'm not sure it was worth it. My advise is for the owner to shift his attention back to quality control in his Chicago based restaurants. At least today, there was a complete lack of quality and more control is needed to not lose loyal customers. I only wish we didn't spend my son's 17th birthday here. read more

The food was delicious and the atmosphere so fun. Cozy inside with a touch of good chaos. Cool that you can see them making smoothies, knafe, etc. Price was reasonable. Plenty of free parking. The mint lemonade was delicious! read more

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Pros: The atmosphere of the place gave it an extravagant experience. The food was really good! Unlike other places that claim that they are authentic, Al Bawadi had authentic Mediterranean food! The people who are serving and who work there also are wearing clothing that gave it a cultural feel. Cons: There wasn't any cons but it was a bit costly than other Mediterranean restaurants! Overall: I truly recommend it for anyone who is looking for authentic Mediterranean food! read more

Al Bawadi Grill - Falafels - Mediterranean Near Me - Bridgeview, Illinois

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I had gone to Bawadi some years ago and had horrible/nonexistent service, so I stopped going and went to Fattoush instead. I then ended up here with a group and have been back a couple times since. I have to say, the service has improved, and the food has been consistently tasty. Good amount of food for the price, and they serve complimentary appetizers in typical Middle Eastern hospitality. We always end up with leftovers. The meats are tender and flavorful. The fresh juices/smoothies are also very tasty if not a bit expensive. I would definitely like to go back. The parking happens to be easier here than at Fattoush (although Fattoush is very good as well). After Bawadi, I love picking up dessert from Albasha Sweets right across the street. read more

This place is definitely one of our stops when we at Chicago. The shrimp scampi and the bawadi wings are amazinggg. Don't even get me started on the knafeh. They make that ish fresh and omggg will not walk out without getting that. Even if you don't get the entree you must get the shrimp and wings. Will be coming back here read more

Al Bawadi Grill - Knafeh - Mediterranean Near Me - Bridgeview, Illinois

Albawadi's owner should be ashamed of himself for presenting an entree like this (see the pictures) and charging premium dollar for it. I ordered lamb and filet mignon and look at the pictures, I was in utter shock to even sit there when the food was presented before me. I have been going to albawadi since 2011 and have always enjoyed their food. But this visit made me realize that, like every other business out there, these people care about their pockets rather than their loyal patrons. I understand it's a pandemic but in the food industry the quality and quantity of the food is one area WHERE YOU DON'T CUT CORNERS. read more

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We have come out here several times and gotten catering from them routinely for work (as we have some Halal requirements) and I have no complaints whatsoever. This is our go to place for sit down mid eastern cuisine, everything from Shawarma to kebabs to seafood grills. Place is koxy with good ambiance, and I have to admit we almost always do lunch here rather than dinner (and usually have more than enough to take home for dinner). For catering we almost always get the mixed meat and mixed kabob platters, along with some side salads and vegetarian options. Food is great with good service. Those familiar with the area know we have a choice in this cuisine and specifically shawarma, and if I'm just getting that as carry out I pick one of the other local fast foo like places, but for a proper sit down (great for entertaining) this is your place. read more

Service was awesome and the food was absolutely delicious . I will definitely visit next time I'm in the area

This place is AMAZING! My boyfriend took me here for my birthday dinner. I love the atmosphere and although it was crowded, the waitress was very attentive. The low lighting and beautiful music really made it a romantic dinner. We ordered somosas for an appetizer. We really enjoyed them. They were cooked perfectly and the filling on the inside was sooo good! My boyfriend had the meat shwarma which included layers of lamb & beef, served with rice, grilled tomatoes and onions with tahini sauce. I ordered the Kufta Caserole with tahini which was oven baked minced beef & lamb, parsley, onions, garlic, and array of spices & potatoes cooked in tahini sauce. The portions of the entrees were HUGE! Oh my goodness and they were so delicious and full of flavor. I can't say enough good things about this place. I really enjoyed my birthday dinner here and I hope we can come back soon!! read more

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I always get excited about visiting Chicago because I'll get to go to Al Bawadi! As always, the vibes are amazing-nice taste of Middle Eastern hospitality and culture. The food is spectacular and the knafeh is even better! I don't know their secret, but it's honestly the best knafeh i've had. The owner was really nice, and he told us all about how he started up his Bawadi venture. So nice talking to him! read more

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The best food of all nothing like it. Taste is great . I can't wait till I get my friends to take them there when they come from out of state. THANKS AL BAWADI read more

They have amazingggggg food! And always consistently good taste the ambiance is also very beautiful.

This place had been on my list for a while, and I'm so glad I went! The food was so delicious, I don't think it's possible to make a bad choice here. The cherry on top was the guy walking around serving up little cups of coffee throughout the meal. Definitely will be going back! read more

Al Bawadi Grill - Kufta kabob - Mediterranean Near Me - Bridgeview, Illinois

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AUTHENTIC. Just like my grandma's cooking, which is one of the best compliments I can give. Being originally from Michigan, now living on the west coast, delicious authentic, home-cooked Arabic food is something I've been missing. Although I'm just here visiting my sister, I'm definitely going to make this a regular stop every time I'm in town. WHAT WE ORDERED: - Al Bawadi Appetizer Sampler Platter - Fried Kibbeh - Fatoush Salad - Chicken Shawerma - Al Bawadi Mixed Grill - Chopped Arabic Salad - Kanafeh PROS - Mohammed the manager is extremely kind, professional and knowledgeable. We absolutely loved having him educate and guide us through our dining experience - The food was top notch! - Service from everyone was perfection - Kanafeh station in the middle of the place CONS - A little far from my sisters place, wish it was closer because it's SO great! - Garlic paste has eggs in it, which is not be suitable for vegans. Overall, fantastic experience and I would highly recommend this place to everybody. Although there are a ton of other Arabic restaurants close by, take it from me skip the rest and dine here. You'll thank me later. read more

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Ordered online for pickup. Order took a little longer than expected. However it was well worth the wait. It was absolutely worth it. read more

All of the food I got here was good and it is close to Midway so easy to get dinner on the way home from the airport. I got boneless chicken tikka, shish tawook, chicken shawarma, yellow and red rice, house salad, baklava, hummus/pita, and a mint lemonade. read more

Great place. Great food. Great atmosphere. Great service. Anas served us well...very good service. Loved the bread, humus, chicken tikka and kukta kabab . A little pricey but worth it. Highly recommend. Oh, and Joe says, "Shawarma is life." read more

Al Bawadi Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Bridgeview, Illinois

If I could give them more than 5 stars I would. I was in Chicago on business, flying out of Midway the next morning. The food was amazing and the staff and ambiance kick it over the top. They start your meal with pickled veggies and dip that was amazing. I hate olives, but I loved these with the other pickled veggies. An older gentleman brought me a shot of strong, spiced tea. I wish I had a larger cup of it. I then had the chopped Arabic salad and a side of hummus. Both were simple but very well done and full of flavor and great fresh compliments to the meat. I had the mixed grill plate with three skewers of different meats. Ask for the garlic sauce and Arabic hot sauce. They are also great additions to the meat. I shouldn't have, but I finished with layali lebnan for dessert. It was a lite custard like dessert, similar to Panna cotta, with fresh berries. This restaurant was a wonderful surprise, and I only wished that I had a bigger stomach. It was a little out of the way, but you will thank me and think the drive is well worth it. I will definitely be back. read more

Al Bawadi Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Bridgeview, Illinois